You probably don’t need an excuse to go to Greece this summer since you’ve been dreaming about it long enough to have a PhD in procrastination. But here I am to wake you up and maybe tip you out of your hammock. Why would I do that? Because suddenly Greece is affordable and un-crowded. And as spectacularly beautiful as ever.

As everybody knows, the Greek economy is in trouble. Its debt is enormous thanks to a method of collecting taxes similar to Cleveland asking LeBron James to stick around for old times’ sake, or Phillip Morris asking the Marlboro Man to smoke lettuce. The good news for Greeks is that their new leaders are implementing a plan that is likely to turn things around, and the public demonstrations of the spring are now few, far between, and peaceful.

The good news for Americans is the very favorable euro/dollar equation. Everything you buy now, from a hotel room near the Acropolis, to a tour of Delphi, to an ouzo or a beer in a seaside taverna, is a lot cheaper than it was even a year ago.

Hard times in Europe and elsewhere means fewer tourists. Fewer Germans on beach beds, fewer Italians on the dance floor (sadly), fewer Japanese in your viewfinder — to mention some foolish stereotypes. Go to a Greek island this summer and you’re sure to find an un-crowded ferry to a pristine beach, a perfect patch of sand for your beach towel, and a fresh octopodhi for dinner. Or wait until September or October when the seas are their warmest, pomegranates decorate the Pelion hillsides, and the natives of Hydra and Mykonos and Crete are surprised and thrilled to see you.

Beauty, as always, is everywhere: the weather, the architecture, the food, the smiles, the landscape. Blue Flag beaches – those that meet the high environmental standards of the FEEE (Foundation for Environmental Education in Europe) — are another crystal-clear reason to choose a Greek holiday. Because Greece really is a nation of islands, and tourism a top priority, the Greeks are conscious and careful about their seas and seashores. The Greek Aegean, home to dozens of fabulous islands, has far more Blue Flag beaches than its neighbors France, Italy or Turkey. Pack a snorkel and mask and flippers; the sea is free.

Finally, there’s the language issue. Ok, you’re Greek is spotty–i.e. “please” and “thank you” are distant lands. But Greeks speak English! I’ve been traveling there since the 70’s and this is the biggest development since ice cubes. Everyone learns English in school and now practices it daily on Facebook and Google. So don’t worry about that, unless you yearn for a heart-to-heart with a 90 year-old shepherd you happen to meet while walking to the beach under a breezy blue sky, through wild flowers and olive groves.

And if you do decide to get a phrase book for that memorable shepherd tête à tête, or just to show respect for your hosts, a couple dozen words will go a long long way. Not only are people grateful that you’re making the effort, they will actually attempt to understand you. Try that on the French Riviera. But why would you? This year the cradle of Western civilization is rocking.

Barbara Bonfigli is the author of “Café Tempest: Adventures on a Small Greek Island” (cafetempest.com) and the host of a series of short, savvy Greek Travel Tip videos.

TakePart.com did a story last week about 5 individuals who have (or are currently) embarked on adventures with green initiatives. In honor of last week’s Earth Day, they wanted to shine some light on these individuals, who are going out of their way to keep our planet green and pristine.

David de Rothschil is a British sailor, who just so happens to be a billionaire banking heir, who sailed through the Great Pacific Garbage Patch in a catamaran built almost entirely from recycled plastics. The GPGP is considered to be the largest natural landfill on Earth, and unfortunately it’s located in the middle of the Pacific Ocean. The mission for de Rothschil and his team at Adventure Ecology was simply to raise awareness about the garbage patch.

Photo courtesy of Adam Bradley

I also like the story of Adam Bradley, a world record holding thru-hiker, who is hiking 501 miles from Idaho to Nevada along the Southwest Intertie Project (SWIP) renewable energy transmission line. Construction begins on this energy line in the summer of 2010 and Bradley wanted to “see the land in its original state before its impacted”. His hike started on Earth Day and will be 15 days total. You can follow his progress and pledge support here.

To read more about these two stories along with the stories of 3 other eco-adventures, view the full story at TakePart.com.

When you’re traveling in Greece, you’ll find yourself eating in tavernas. They’re   uniquely Greek – not a fast food in sight — so they’re the perfect way to immerse yourself in the local culture. Look for the sign “TABEPNA”; but don’t try pronouncing it that way.

Dodecanese islands. Four ALA fan-atics trying to relax (Barbara is second from left) at maybe the only taverna in a working boatyard.

Tavernas are friendly, casual and relatively inexpensive, like their English tavern cousins. No spotted dick or bangers and mash, but they do have another thing in common: real English watering holes serve their ales and lagers warm, and with the exception of freshly grilled fish and meats, that’s the temperature of most taverna food.  The perfectly good explanation is that everything is prepared early in the morning before the hot sun takes all the Bacchanalian joy out of cooking. So by the time you come off the beach, showered or sandy, there aren’t any heat waves rising off your moussaka. But don’t let that turn you off. Almost every Greek dish tastes delicious warm.

What to order? Many tavernas have hand-painted signs displaying their offerings.  Like Japanese restaurants, they try to entice you with gaudy illustrations that bear little resemblance to anything you’d knowingly eat. Unlike their Japanese counterparts, however, their English menu translations are positively mesmerizing:  “peasant salat with crusty broad”; “spacey beef balls”; “orange jewz.”

Early morning on the tip of the Pelion Peninsula. You're going to ask if the fish is fresh?

The very good news is that you can usually walk right into the kitchen to see for yourself. Lids come off pots, covers off casseroles, trays of fish are brought from the fridge for your inspection. Ignore what your mother taught you; point.

Your waiter will cover your table with a fresh paper cloth, often a map of this very island. (Warning: Do Not Navigate By This Map!) And before you ask for silverware, unfurl the neat napkin rolls lying at the bottom of the bread basket.

Now that Greece belongs to the EC (European Community), fish is expensive. Octopus and squid are pretty reasonable, but you’ll want to splash out once in a while.  Cipoura, melanouri and barbounia are sweet and tender local catches. Before you order any fish, look it straight in the eye; unclouded and dark is the key to freshness. When it arrives, simply grilled, and decorated with lemon slices, rosemary twigs and tomatoes, expect to say hello to its head, and to filet it yourself. I suggest you watch the Greek at the next table and then imitate. There will still be bones, so avoid tricky subjects while you’re eating. Note: You’re going to attract a hundred cats, ready to help out with the skeleton. DON’T put these on the ground near your chair; your waiter will go ballistic. Plus few cats really know the word “down.” You might wrap it in a napkin and stroll to the periphery of the taverna, where the cat army generally camps.

The Greeks are masters of casseroles and stews: moussaka, pastitsio, stifatho. Chicken, beef, lamb and goat come baked in a sauce (trans. tomatoes in oil and herbs.) Lahanika – vegetables — are overcooked but yummy, having marinated since dawn. When I first came to Greece, vegetables were few; I thought okra belonged on the flag. But there’s a lot more choice now. Try horta, which translates as “field” but is so much tastier than weeds. Or zucchini flowers stuffed with the local soft cheese. Ahh….

10am at my favorite beach bar. It opens at 11. I'm sorry I can't tell you where.

Of course everything’s better with wine. Hee’ma – house wine –  is inexpensive and often good, especially the local resinated white.

Local is the magic word. Every region and every island has its unique dishes. Swim ‘til you’re ravenous. Then coraggio! You’re traveling! Try things you won’t find anywhere else. Spacey beef balls anyone?

Barbara Bonfigli is the author of “Café Tempest: Adventures on a Small Greek Island” (cafetempest.com) and the host of a series of short, savvy Greek Travel Tip videos.

Sustainable Travel International (STI) is the leading internationally recognized non-profit dedicated to sustainable tourism development. In partnership with STI, Austin-Lehman Adventures is committed to expanding and enhancing its efforts to support environmental conservation, preserve cultural-heritage and contribute to local economic development.

STI is dedicated to taking a holistic approach to addressing sustainable development within the travel and tourism industries by providing solutions-oriented programs that generate tangible results and affect long-lasting change.

We were able to sit down with Ted Martens, STI’s Director of Outreach & Development and ask him a few questions about sustainable travel and how his company is helping.

What is your definition of sustainable travel?
Sustainable travel is a level of tourism activity that is viable in the long-term because it results in a net benefit for the communities, economies, and environments where it takes place.  The key components of this definition are the “long-term” – preserving destinations for generations to come, and the “triple bottom line” – or the focus on the local environment, community, and economies – all of these must benefit for travel to be sustainable.

Why is sustainable travel important?
The travel and tourism industry is arguable the largest industry in the world, and the negative impacts associated with this massive industry are significant and widespread.  Because the industry relies on the quality of destinations and livelihood of host communities, we must take proactive steps to preserve them so that we may visit them again, and so that our children will also have the opportunity to experience these phenomenal locations.  Sustainable travel is the type of tourism that will allow for the long-term viability of the world’s greatest places.

Who should participate in sustainable travel and how can someone get started?
Anyone and everyone can and should participate in sustainable travel.  At its core, sustainable travel is all about making educated decisions – decisions on how you act when you travel, who you travel with, and how you spend your money in the destinations.  Getting started is easy – choose travel providers (hotels, tour operators, guides, etc) who are committed to this philosophy (for a list of questions to ask potential providers, click here).  Be respectful of the environments and people in the destinations you visit.  Patronize local businesses.  Consider mitigating your environmental impacts through carbon offsetting or think about giving philanthropically to the destinations you visit.  For a full list of best practices and tips for travelers, visit STI’s consumer page.

How is sustainable travel different from ecotourism?
There is no official and industry-wide agreement on specifics of these terms, but at their core, both ecotourism and sustainable tourism (and responsible tourism and geotourism and pro-poor tourism, etc) are aimed at the same outcomes – preservation of the environment and providing benefits to host communities.  In our eyes, ecotourism is a form of sustainable tourism.  While ecotourism tends to focus only on responsible travel to natural environments, sustainable travel encompasses responsible travel to all types of environments.  Some argue that you cannot engage in ecotourism in an urban environment, but you certainly can engage in sustainable travel in an urban environment.  So, in a nutshell, ecotourism is a sub-category of sustainable tourism.

How can tour operators help minimize the negative aspects of conventional tourism?
We could write an entire book on this topic!  To summarize a few key ideas, tour operators can:

• Educate their travelers on the importance of sustainable tourism and how to actively participate in it
• Analyze their business operations with a “green lens”, looking for places to increase efficiencies, decrease fossil fuel consumption, minimize waste, etc.
• “Green up” their supply chain by choosing hotels, restaurants, and service providers who are committed to preserving the environment and creating benefits for the host community
• Minimize their carbon emissions and offset unavoidable emissions
• Create or participate in a philanthropic initiative that directly benefits the communities that host their tours

What does the future hold for sustainable travel?
While the “green” movement is well in motion and is becoming part of consumer and corporate culture, we still have a long ways to go before the industry as a whole is operating in a sustainable manner.  Fortunately, industry-leading businesses are realizing the financial benefits of operating in a more sustainably, and the information and tools that facilitate this movement are becoming more widespread.  I’m optimistic that we’ll  see an incremental adoption of more sustainable practices across the industry, but it will take a lot of effort.  Travelers need to demand responsible travel options, and industry-leaders need to continue to share best practices and success stories.

There’s a quick way to go broke in Greece, besides letting an octopus swallow your wallet. It’s cocktails. Johnny Walker and Jim Beam only travel first class; mojitos and martinis, strictly deluxe. So what’s a thirsty traveler to do? Drink Greek. It’s a lot easier than speaking it, and you’ll probably make more friends. Greek beer (i.e. Mythos) and brandy (i.e. 3-star Metaxa) and ouzo (any brand) are inexpensive and delicious. Greek wine is the best bet of all.

Greece is a wine drinker’s paradise thanks to eons of experience, perfect growing conditions, the recent explosion of artisanal winemakers, and the blessing of Bacchus, an ancient fun-loving god whose only job is to lead you astray.

Every region has its native grapes – the agiorgitiko, the robola, the savatiano, are among 300+ indigenous varietals. And each region has its characteristic wines: the medium-bodied, fruity Nemea reds of the Peloponnese; the gentle, elegant whites from Patras; the richer complex reds of Macedonia; the sweet, luscious, dessert wine muscats from Samos.

Photo Credits: byrdiegyrl on Flickr

Enjoy the learning curve. Bottled wines come in every price range; there are decent reds and whites for 6-8 euros, good ones for 9-11, and excellent ones for less than twenty. Experiment within your price range and your palate will dance with unexpected pleasures. If you dislike a wine you’ve ordered in a taverna, they’ll usually replace it, knowing you don’t know your assyrtiko from your agiorgitiko. And you can often find good inexpensive local wines at small groceries that sell them in bulk; just be sure not to store them in cheap plastic containers.

A unique, beach-and-fish-friendly Greek white that costs a fraction of its flavor is retsina, made with the pale flowery savatiano grape. (You fly over the savatiano vineyards of the Markopoulo Valley when you land at the new international airport of Athens.) 2500 years before FedEx, wine was shipped around the Empire in amphorae sealed with plugs made of pine resin. People got to liking the piney flavor, then they decided it kept them from getting headaches or hangovers in hot weather (this is history I’m quoting, from the people who invented it.)

Some Greek oenophiles think you’re kidding when you order retsina. Others love it. I’m in the lovers camp and I was born near Napa Valley, which may be proof of reincarnation. Or not. But if you can develop a taste for retsina — best when it’s ice cold — you’ll save enough for another Greek odyssey. The toast is “Yamas!” To our health.

Barbara Bonfigli is the author of “Café Tempest: Adventures on a Small Greek Island” (cafetempest.com) and the host of a series of short, savvy Greek Travel Tip videos.